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019: Fish Tank (2010)

This is a re-watch, just so you know from the off. Mesmerised by the bleakness first time around, second viewing left me even colder. Andrea Arnold’s Fish Tank presents urbanised estate living through lonesome adolescent Mia. The unhurried story unfurls with delicate ease. Even though there is nothing thematically new here (take a look at this for proof), it’s one of the best gritty realist films you’ll see. Plus, there’s Fassbender. Half naked, no willy.

THE GOOD: The lack of finger-pointing. Arnold doesn’t bother spoon feeding us with tired concepts of good and evil as separate characteristics.